The drive motor of a motor-driven chain saw is fixedly mounted in a housing of the chain saw by means of threaded fasteners. The flat guide bar is securely clamped between the sprocket wheel cover and the housing of the chain saw and threaded studs are threadably engaged in the housing so as to lie perpendicularly to the guide bar. The threaded studs extend through the end of the guide bar to be clamped and through the sprocket wheel cover. The studs carry nuts which are tightened. The forces acting on the guide bar are taken up by the housing of the chain saw. The housing comprises primarily plastic and must therefore be dimensioned correspondingly thick; however, fatigue fissures can develop in the housing because of the stress to which the housing is subjected and especially from vibrations occurring when using internal combustion engines. The housing is exchanged when such fatigue fissures develop.